Building Futures, Showcasing Talent: ApprenticeshipNC Highlights Registered Apprenticeship at the 2025 N.C. State Fair
Published: November 6, 2025
Raleigh, North Carolina—ApprenticeshipNC celebrated the talent and drive of North Carolina’s next generation of workers through a series of apprentice contests held October 20–24 at the 2025 N.C. State Fair.
The annual contests represent a long-standing partnership between the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and ApprenticeshipNC—the State Apprenticeship Agency. This decades-old tradition highlights the vital role that Registered Apprenticeship plays in strengthening North Carolina’s workforce pipeline.
Annual Apprentice Contests Showcase Skilled Trades Talent
Over 100 competitors representing 26 employers, two N.C. Community Colleges, and nine high schools demonstrated their expertise in masonry, electrical, carpentry, and HVAC/R contests throughout the week. Thanks to generous industry sponsors, every participant received tools and other prizes for their participation. The top 10 finalists in each contest will also receive monetary awards ranging from $75 to $325 from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, based on their placements.
Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt and ApprenticeshipNC will honor the winners and runners-up with a reception on December 2, 2025.
First Place Winners:
- 71st Annual Masonry Apprentice Contest: David Hernandez-Herrera, Whitman Masonry
- 40th Annual Electrical Apprentice Contest: Guy Kemp, Starr Electric Company
- 39th Annual Carpentry Pre-Apprentice Contest: Campbell Quinn & Lukas Nelson, Bunn High School
- 21st Annual HVAC/R Apprentice Contest: Camden Leonard, Brady Services/Guilford Technical Community College
Inaugural Registered Apprenticeship Expo Shines Light on Apprenticeable Occupations
ApprenticeshipNC’s week at the fair concluded with the Inaugural Registered Apprenticeship Expo on Friday, October 24. The Expo provided career seekers, parents, and fairgoers with an opportunity to learn directly from employers about apprenticeable careers in industries such as construction, advanced manufacturing, information technology, hospitality, and healthcare.
State Leadership Celebrates North Carolina’s Workforce
State officials attended ApprenticeshipNC’s events throughout the week, including David Smith, Chief Deputy Commissioner, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Luke Farley, Commissioner, North Carolina Department of Labor; Dr. Chris Harrington, State Director, ApprenticeshipNC; and Dale Yarborough, Deputy Director, ApprenticeshipNC.
They were joined by Mr. Tom Looney, Chairman, State Board of Community Colleges; Mr. Robert B. Moore Jr., Ms. Lisa Estep, and Ms. Paula Benson, Members of the State Board of Community Colleges. Their participation underscored the North Carolina Community College System’s commitment to Registered Apprenticeship.
Investing in North Carolina’s Talent Pipelines
The N.C. State Fair Annual Apprentice Contests and Registered Apprenticeship Expo highlight only a small portion of the more than 1,200 apprenticeable occupations recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Registered Apprenticeship is the gold-standard of workforce training, generating an average of $396.7 million in incremental wages annually and $47.6 million in incremental sales and income tax each year in North Carolina. With 65% of ApprenticeshipNC’s current funding set to expire on June 30, 2026, the State Apprenticeship Agency anticipates a significant impact on its ability to register, support, and expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs statewide. Without renewed funding, projected new Registered Apprentice enrollment could drop by as much as 67% over the next four years, limiting opportunities for North Carolinians to enter high-demand, high-wage careers and restricting employers’ access to skilled talent pipelines.
If ApprenticeshipNC is fully funded, the agency projects registering 37,770 new apprentices between 2025 and 2029. This growth in new apprentice registrations will strengthen the state’s workforce pipeline and deliver measurable returns to North Carolina’s economy. Continued investment in Registered Apprenticeship ensures that North Carolina remains a national leader in workforce training by supporting employers, strengthening communities, and building skilled talent pipelines.
- View photos from ApprenticeshipNC’s week at the N.C. State Fair: 2025 State Fair Flickr Album
- View the week’s program: ApprenticeshipNC Linktree
- View ApprenticeshipNC’s Annual Report: ApprenticeshipNC Annual Report FY 2024-2025
About ApprenticeshipNC: Recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship to act on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, ApprenticeshipNC is the State Apprenticeship Agency and a division of the North Carolina Community College System. The ApprenticeshipNC Team works with employers, educational institutions, and community partners to foster and expand Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs across North Carolina.